Leadership Team

Compass Education Group provides the highest quality one-on-one test prep and academic tutoring. We serve thousands of students annually, anywhere in the world online, or in-home in the LA, NYC, and SF metro areas. Our stellar reputation with the school and counselor communities is the result of 25 years of ethical conduct and helping students succeed.

Adam Ingersoll

Founder and Principal

Adam began his career in test prep in 1993 at USC, where he was a student-athlete and worked in the admission office. Over the last two decades he has guided thousands of families to successful experiences with standardized tests. Adam is known nationally as a leading expert on college admission testing and is a frequent presenter at higher ed conferences, faculty development workshops, and school seminars.

Art Sawyer

Founder and Principal

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and has written more than a dozen test prep books. Although he has routinely attained perfect scores on the SAT and ACT, Art is far prouder of the thousands of students he has helped over the past 25 years.

Bruce Reed

Founder and Executive Director

Bruce graduated from Colby College and has served in leadership roles in education for more than 20 years. In 2004, Bruce founded our Northern California office, where he continues to serve as its hands-on leader while also guiding our Southern California team in his role as Compass’ Executive Director. Bruce is recognized throughout the Bay Area and beyond as a visionary and passionate voice in the realm of education.

Lia Lackey

Managing Director

Lia began SAT and ACT tutoring in 1997 while completing her B.A. in Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. She also served with the Sacramento County Office of Education, developing science achievement exams for high schools. Lia has maintained a passion for education in her work at Compass, where she enjoys working individually with families and mentoring the director team.

Torsten Sannar

Managing Director

Torsten holds a Ph.D. in Theater History from UC Santa Barbara and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. He has more than 20 years of test prep experience and enjoys drawing upon his creativity and college teaching to help families navigate the admission landscape. Torsten coordinates Compass School Partnership efforts nationwide and leads the Southern California office.

Ash Kramer

Managing Director of Product

With a career in test prep and higher education that began in the late 1990s, Ash has held a variety of educational roles from tutor to administrator. She received M.A.s in English from CSULA and the University of Southern California. At Compass, she is lucky to work with a brilliant team, creating the very best learning materials for students and their tutors.

Sara Berard

Senior Director, Sales

Sara has nearly two decades of experience in test preparation, dating back to her undergraduate years at Wheaton College. Sara’s expert knowledge of testing and her skill and integrity as a leader ensures that our team provides the highest-quality service to our clients. Sara is widely known by college counselors as a trusted resource who delivers successful outcomes for families.

Jon Lee

Senior Director

Jon began his test prep career in 2002. He holds a Master of Music degree from CSU, Los Angeles, where he was also a professor. Prior to joining Compass, Jon spent five years overseeing tutors for the Guardian Scholars Program at LA City College, supporting current and former foster youth.

Hillary Sciarillo

Senior Director

After earning degrees in English Literature and Spanish from Drew University, Hillary started working as a verbal tutor in 2003. She brings years of experience teaching in the Marin County school system and enjoys working collaboratively with families to create personalized programs.

Matt Steiner

Senior Director, Outreach

Prior to joining Compass, Matt obtained their MA from the University of Chicago and a BA from UC Santa Cruz. They have over a decade of experience in the field of test preparation, having worked as an instructor, consultant, and keynote speaker on the topic of admission testing. Currently, Matt teaches graduate-level lectures on testing for the counselor certificate programs at UC San Diego, UC Irvine, and UCLA.

Our Directors and Office Staff

Vibhuti Bhagwati

Accountant

Vibhuti obtained her Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Mumbai. She worked in finance for several years before becoming part of the Compass team in 2010. She manages the accounting responsibilities for our offices.

Bob Borrmann

Administrative Coordinator, Outreach

Bob graduated with honors from New York University, where he studied Dramatic Writing and History. In his free time, he writes and plays pickup basketball. Currently, he serves as Compass' Administrative Coordinator of Outreach.

Christine Carey

Program Manager

Christine received a B.A. in Film, Theater and Communication Arts, and later an M.B.A., from the University of New Orleans. Originally a Verbal Tutor, Christine transitioned to a full-time role. She now coordinates tutors, families, and directors to ensure students can realize their test-day potential.

Anne-Marie Chan

Director

Anne-Marie’s experience as an educator and advisor dates back over a decade. She tutored students at a nonprofit in LA before joining Compass as a math instructor in 2008. Her many years of experience as a career advisor and graduate school admission consultant also inform her work as Director of our NYC office . She holds degrees in English and Economics from Duke and is an NYU Stern MBA.

Megan Drennan

Quality Assurance Analyst

Megan holds a B.A. and M.A. in Anthropology/Archaeology and has had the opportunity to participate in digs worldwide. She now brings her attention to detail to her role as QA Analyst, helping to ensure a quality software experience for Compass employees and students.

Margaux Erilane

Marketing Coordinator

Margaux graduated with B.A.s in Psychology and Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University. She began working with Compass as a math and science tutor in 2015 and later joined the office as Manager of Practice Testing. In 2019, she transitioned to the marketing department, using her skills to help manage our online presence.

Dan Hamlin

Director

Dan graduated summa cum laude from UCLA and received his M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His tutoring experience, which stretches back well into the 1990s, has included working with students on the SAT and ACT, as well as on a variety of AP exams, Subject Tests, and academic subjects.

Alicia Hovey

Director

Alicia graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Journalism and went on to teach English at an independent school in San Francisco. She brings her passion for education to Compass where she loves helping students and families navigate the world of high stakes testing involved in the college admission process.

Nina Kao

Director

Nina graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. Her extensive background as an educator is highlighted by two years with Teach for America. Her expertise in a wide range of standardized tests and academic subjects enables her to provide thoughtful guidance and support as director.

Ryan Kenney

Software Developer

Compass software developer Ryan discovered his passion for software development and earned a degree in computer science. After graduating, Ryan went on to build various online learning and training management software systems before bringing his experience to Compass.

Arisa Kim

Director of Instruction

Arisa has almost 20 years of experience in the field of test preparation. She graduated cum laude from Pomona College and received her J.D. from UC Berkeley. Currently, she serves as Compass’ Director of Instruction, overseeing the tutor hiring process and providing support after training.

Bryan Kramer

Director of Operations

Bryan holds a B.A. in Cinema and Television from the University of Southern California. Before joining Compass, he was an account manager for luxury, boutique hotels in Los Angeles. At Compass, he provides critical logistical support for tutors and directors, ensuring that all of programs run smoothly.

Josh Lee

Manager of Practice Testing

Josh is a customer service veteran bringing over 20 years of experience to the Compass operations team. He attended Michigan State University before moving to California in 1997. Josh has trained, coached, mentored, and managed teams for a variety of industries and organizations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, including The Walt Disney Company.

Sarah Masonwood

Office Manager

Sarah graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Redlands. Before joining Compass, she built her admin and customer service skills in the travel industry. As part of the Compass operations team, she enjoys working with parents, tutors and directors to support student programs.

Ping Mathre

Director

Ping obtained her BA in Psychology at UC San Diego and then went on to earn an MS in Family Therapy at UMASS Boston. She joined Compass in 2015 as a verbal tutor and enjoys supporting students and families in reaching their goals.

David Maynard

Program Coordinator

After attending a science and engineering high school, David switched to the humanities, studying Classics at Carleton College and graduating magna cum laude. Working for many years behind the scenes in the educational testing industry, first for Pearson and then for ACT, David now brings his insight directly to the programs he help coordinate.

Sue McLaughlin

Director of Recruiting and Staff Development

Sue graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Modern Culture and Media. With a background in training and a passion for education, Sue first joined Compass as a Verbal Tutor. She now oversees the recruiting, hiring, training and ongoing professional development of our Northern California tutors.

Avi Mozes

Software Engineer

For the past 20 years, Avi has been crafting both small and large scale websites and solutions as a full-stack software developer. He earned his B.S. in Electrical / Computer Engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles. Avi currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Jill Muttera

Director

Jill graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Communication Studies. Her career in education includes tutoring for the SAT and ACT, creating content for a standardized test prep website, and teaching. Jill also worked as a software project manager before returning to her passion of helping students navigate test prep and college admissions at Compass.

Jené Pledger

Program Manager

Jené holds a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from Colorado State University, an M.A. in English from CSULA, and is currently working towards her Ph.D. at UCLA. As Program Manager at Compass, she enjoys supporting directors, tutors, and families as they navigate successful and rewarding student programs.

David Perez

Director

David received a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University. Before joining Compass as a verbal tutor, he worked in a variety of marketing and sales roles in the biotech, hospitality, and finance industries. David also enjoys volunteering, promoting childhood literacy and youth empowerment.

Ashling Quigley

Practice Test and Classroom Manager

Ashling has a B.A. in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley. After joining Compass as a math tutor in 2015, Ashling honed her skills teaching hundreds of students all over the Bay Area. In 2019, she settled down in the Northern California office as the Practice Test and Classroom Manager.

Amber Stiles

Director

Amber most recently lived in Tokyo, where she taught English at Komazawa University. After earning a B.A. in Russian Studies from San Francisco State University, she tutored for AmeriCorps and taught ESL in Spain, France, and Japan. She finds satisfaction in helping students reach their goals.

Corey Weidenhammer

Software Lead

Corey obtained his B.S. in Computer Science and B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he was also a teaching assistant and tutor. He's been building software and leading development teams for over ten years. He manages all aspects of software development.

Meryl Seward

Program Manager and Math Lead

Meryl received degrees in Environmental Analysis and Studio Art from Pomona College. Meryl has tutored hundreds of Compass students and has trained our tutors. As Program Manager, she ensures clients are thoughtfully paired with tutors and experience the highest level of service.